Erection of wings and the like for flying machines



. I 1,625,029 P" 1927- H. JuNKERs ERECTION OF WINGS AND THE LIKEFORFLYING MACHINES Filed Ju'iy 22. 1925 Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

r 1,625,029 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

nueo aunxnns, or missau, GERMANY.

ERECTION 9F .WINGS AND THE LIKE FOR FLYING MACHINES.

Application filed ll'uly 22, 1925, Serial No. 45,379, and in GermanyAugust8, 1924.

' My invention refers-tothe construction of flying machines and moreespecially to means whereby the several structural parts constitutingthe wings and othersubstan- 6 tially' plane-shaped parts of a flyingmachine can be easily assembled and mounted in place. in the wing or thelike. My ,in-

vention more especially aims at simplifying the assembling of theseveral parts with 10 a view to quantity production.

It 'is a particular object of my invention to provide a fixture for theerection of the wings, rudders and the like forming part .ofanaeroplane, by means of which these parts can be erected in theshortest possible time and with the highest degree of exact ness.

In the fixture according to the present invention a plurality ofsupports capable of being fixed in predetermined positions arePIOVldBCl, which allow fixing in correct .relative position the spars orother mainstructural members of the wing or other body to beconstructed. I am thereby enabled to mount} on-the main structuralmembers all connecting parts in absolutely correct position without anydifficulty and without requiring anyseparate templets, the mainstructural members themselves being rigidly F9 fixed in place.

In a preferred form of a fixture according to this invention thesupports extend substantially in vertical directionso as to be enabledto carry the main structural 5 members in superposition one above theother, whereby it is possible to construct the wing or other plane .onedge. At the same time the body in .course of construction is freelyaccessible '40 from all sides.

The supports forming an important part of the novel fixture preferablycomprise two end supports displaceable in the longitudinal direction ofthe base plate orframe and serving for supporting the spars at theirends, and a number of intermediate supports. which can be dismantled inlateral irection. In. consequence of this arrange- "any of parts thespars of thewings are elialily and correctly supported also beweentheirzends, and each partil lik'e can. made readily accessibleheycon'structiomby temporarily rech intermediate supports as are =f1"fthe mQment. By displacbody while it stands of the wing" ing one orboth end supports the finished body can easily be disengaged from thefixture.

In order further to easily mount in place the hinges of rudders orsimilar parts which must'be positioned very exactly, I provide templetswith the hinge eyes or corresponding. fittings which can be fixed on thesupports and the base plate and which warrant from the beginning acorrect positioning of all such parts.

In order to further facilitate the construction of flat bodies which aremainly braced in longitudinal direction bymeans of spars or the like,such as the wings of aeroplanes, I provide auxiliary spars mounted onthe fixture in a position adjoining the position which the sparsiof thewings are. designed to occupy, and I further provide templets foripreparing the mounting on the spars of other structural parts b markingthereon or drilling therein the holes for the fixation of 'such parts,these templets being mounted on the auxiliary spars. I thereby simplifythe mounting in position of the several parts to be connected with eachother inasmuch as, no gauging is required, the longitudinal and otherdimensions being predetermined automatically. by means of these.templets. The auxiliary spars'carry ing these latter are preferablymounted on the supports for easy disengagement and adjustment, meansresembling for instance buckle or' strap fastenings being provided onthe supports, which allow the auxiliary spars being removed inproportion as the work proceeds in order to render the finished portionof the wing or the'like more readily accessible.

In -the drawings affixed to this specification and forming part thereofa fixture embodying my invention is illustrated dia: grammatically byway of'example. In the drawings Fig. 1 fixture for use in theconstruction of aeroplane wings having tubular spars,

Figs. 2 and 3 are a side elevation and cross section respectively ofa-detail drawn to a lar r scale. 1

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the foundation frame carrying a fixedend frame 2 and a disengageable end frame 3 with screwed sockets orotherfastenings 4 for tlielongitudinal spar cli v d ng- Q WSS 19 is aperspective view showing a proper. Preferably the bearings members. Thisis in Figs. 2 and 3, where the templet 13 1s "14; is mounted in the endporte bya strut 15 of the oplane or to some other wingportion. The endframe 2 which in the' exampleillustrated is designed to support the tipof the wing, need not be provlded with'any threaded fastenings for thespars but is fitted with perforations in-the end plate 5 through whichthe plane ends of the spars project during the astembling.

' Intermediate the two end frames 2 and 3 there are mounted. on thefoundation frame 1 three intermediate frames consisting each of twovertical standards 6 ,with broadened bases 7,'transverse staying mem-fbers 8 and a horizontal tie 9.

The bases '7 and staying members 8 of the intermediate fram wise mountedon the frame 1 in an easily .isenga'geable manner. Theties 9 are alsodisengageablyrcpnnected with the standards 6 by means of bolts or thelike, where all these parts can be mounted in place from the outside andcan be taken down sideways as the work proceeds. 1

The intermediate frames 6, 6 carry spar holders 10 capable of adjustmentin vertical andhorizonta'l direction and which are fast-- ened on thestrutswith treenails and se-. cured thereon b means ,of steady p ns orthe like after the correct position of the longitudinal spars has beenascertained. By means of the spar holders and the straps or the like.connected with them the spars can be mounted and maintained in correctposition. The spar holders 10v further oar bearings 11 serving to fix inosition au iary s are 12, extending 'su stantially in paralle to andsideways of the winig spars or the auxiliary spars 12 are also formedafter the manner .of locking stra s. On. the a'uxlhary spars 12 aremeant templets 13 for rocking motion about the spars. These ng ordrillingof the holes in the spars required for mountinglthereon theconnect' own more ,particularl' shown .in inoperative position in Fig.2, while Fig. 3 showsthe templet' inoperative position where it isapplied a inst the spar and a drill extends through t e templet and intothe spar. v In the bottom part of the fixture which in the exampleillustrated takes up the rear edge of the wing to be built, 'a strongspar me 2 c 'a the ti of the wing, its 0th r end beingasupounted 'on thefoundation The spar 14 carries templets frame.

16 with eyes which allow an exact fixation are bolted or otherd and thelike templets can be applied against the are n rali of the su ort forthe aileron which is hinged to t is part of the wing.

fIn fitting o ture, I proceed for instance as follows': While thefoundation frame'lfonly carries the endframes 2 and 3 either finallymounted in place or still spaced somewhat furthertion together with theauxiliary spars 12' up a wing or supporting surface a a flying machineby means of this fixand the main spars are now fastened to theintermediate frames by .means ofthe f straps 10. The marking or drillingtemplets 13 are now applied one after the other against the main spars,the rivet holes areprodu'ced and the several transverse and diagonalbracings are fixed with the aid of these holes by means of specialriveting devices intro-I duced into the tubular spars and the membersdesigned to connect the several spars are their mounted-on the sparswhereupon the skeleton of the wing is' finished, The

intermediate frames 6 are now takendown and removed ,tpgether with theauxiliary spars 12 extending sideways of the skeleton,. and this latteris now readily accessible for the mounting of the skin or covering,which. inthe cast of an all metal wing, is now fixed tothe spars andconnecting "pieces by riveting.

Obviously the rudders, ailerons, planes and the like can be'asse similarmanner. v I v I' shit to ,be understood that I do not balancing bled ina" desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown anddescribed, for obvi,-' ous modifications will occur .to a person skilledin -the art 3 I claim: I v 1. Fixture for "the erection wings. andsimilar parts of flyin mac ines dis a hle ongsaid foundation frame, all

sai' frame'sfhaving'a width slightly'emeedon ed' of 0mpr1sing the comination of ion ing the thickness of the wing or the like to mg beerected, and means forming art. of said 4 vertical frames for securinthe ongitudinal spars. of the wingor the he in their final relativeposition.

wings and similar parts ofifl yin mec ines and the like comprising ahorizo tion frame extending in the lon 'tudinal direotion and having awidth slig tl exceeding the thickness of the wing or t elike to beerected, a luralityi of vertical cross flfames mounted for longitudinaldisplacement on and having. substantiallythe same width as saidfoundation frame and a hei ht slightly exceeding the length of the wingor the like to erected and means forming 2. Fixture for thelerectiom oned e of lfounda- I part of said vertical frames for securing the lon'tudinal' spars of the wing or the like in t 'eir finalrelativeposition.

3. Fixture for the erection on edge of wings and similar parts of flyingmachines and the like comprising a horizontal foundation frame extendingin the longitudinal direction and having a width slightly exceed ing thethickness of the wing or the like to be erected, a vertical cross framemounted for longitudinal displacement on each end of said foundationframe, an intermediate vertical cross frame mounted on said foundationframe for removal inlateral direction and means forming part of saidlongitudinally displaceable frames for securing the longi-.

tudinal spars of the wing or the like in their final relative position.

4. Fixture for the erection on edge of wings and similar parts of flyingmachines and the like comprising a horizontal foundation frame extendingin the longitudinal direction and having a width slightly exceeding thethickness of the wing or the like to be erected, va vertical cross framemounted for longitudinal displacement on each end of, said foundationframe, an intermediate vertical cross frame mounted on said foundationframe for removal in lateral .direction, means forming part of saidlongitudiframes for securing the longitudinal spars of the wing or thelike in their final relative position, an auxiliary spar extendingbetween a longitudinall displaceable and an intermediate vertical rameand means on said intermediate frame for temporarily supporting saidauxiliary spar.

5. Fixture for the erection on edge of Wings and similar parts of flyingmachines and the like comprising a horizontal foundation frame extendingin the longitudinal direction and having a width slightly exceeding thethickness of the Wing or the like to be erected, a vertical cross framemounted for longitudinal displacement on each end of said foundationframe, an intermediate vertical cross frame mounted on said foundationframe for removal in lateral direction, means forming part of saidlongitudinally displaceable frames for securing the longitudinal sparsof the wing or the like in their final relative position, an auxiliaryspar extending between a longitudinally displaceable and an intefmediatevertical frame, means on nally displaceable said intermediate frame fortemporarily supl porting said auxiliary spar and a templet rockablymounted on said auxiliary spar. In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

HUGO J UNKERS.

